Nelson’s Green Brier First 108 Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel, 58.4%
Nose: Charred cedar, maple syrup, cereal grains, red wine, caramel, vanilla, plenty of ethanol
Palate: Chalky, dark and earthy, milk chocolate, heavy on the oak, more grains, mint, cinnamon, vanilla, drinks under proof
Finish: Drying, bitter, tannic, lots of oak and barrel influence
Rating: 66/100 – Good | Better than average
Nelson’s First 108 was aged in smaller barrels (30 gallons) for only 2 years but man did those little barrels impart a substantial amount of oak influence. The result is a dry, chalky mouthfeel where the two main notes: oak and cereal grains, battle it out for your attention. Overall this bottle is a bit too out there for me to recommend, especially at its $60 per 375ml price tag. Still I’m impressed by the amount of flavor NGB has managed to capture and look forward to trying their future releases.
Additional Info: Distillery only-release. Distilled from a mash bill of corn, wheat and malted barley.